The present invention relates to enhanced telecommunications network features, and particularly relates to improving the usability of caller identification services.
Modern telecommunications systems carry telecommunications traffic based on routing and control information that is exchanged between network elements comprising, for example, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). As these communication networks have evolved, so has the sophistication of their underlying signaling and control networks. Examples of telecommunications network signaling systems include Common Channel System Signaling No. 7 (SS7), an International Telecommunications Union Standard, and advanced intelligent networks (AIN) signaling. SS7, for example, provides a basis for call setup, management, and tear down. Of more concern to telecommunications system users, such signaling systems provide enhanced calling features.
Capitalizing on the network intelligence provided by SS7 or other types of network signaling implementations, telecommunication service providers are able to offer individual users the ability to interact with the telecommunications environment and control certain aspects of its operation. For example, individual users can selectively redial the number of the last incoming call, temporarily forward calls to a selected number, and with the right equipment, determine a caller""s identity at a glance without having to pick up the phone. This last feature, that is the telecommunication network""s ability to provide calling party information to the called party before the called party actually answers the phone, which has found broad everyday use.
Indeed, caller identification services have proven to be one of the most popular calling feature enhancements available. Generally referred to as xe2x80x9ccaller ID,xe2x80x9d calling identification services involve the delivery of a calling party""s dialable number (DN), and optionally the calling party""s name, to a called party. Oftentimes, the caller ID services are referred to as calling number delivery (CND) and calling name delivery (CNAM), respectively. With caller ID, information relating to the subscriber line originating the call travels, via some form of signaling system, through the telecommunications network, and is provided to the called party""s premises equipment (e.g., telephone) by the Central Office or local exchange switch that serves the called party.
Delivery of the calling party""s name is particularly useful in that it provides a more natural way for called parties to determine the identity of calling parties. Simply put, delivering the calling party""s name obviates the need for the called party to mentally associate the incoming number with a particular name. Regardless of the type of network signaling system involved, the calling party identification information generally comes from some form of subscriber database, such as directory listing information. Thus, the name associated with a given calling subscriber""s line by the telecommunications service provider is usually the name delivered to parties called by that given subscriber. This CNAM information is fixed in the sense that the telecommunications network providing the CNAM information for a given calling subscriber does not change or alter the information, providing the same name information for each call placed through a given subscriber line.
Limitations of existing CNAM delivery options are apparent. For example, a single telephone line is oftentimes registered to only one or two subscribers, but is associated with multiple users. A telephone serving a college dormitory room represents a common example of this type of situation. In the dormitory room scenario, each roommate likely calls a different group of friends and associates from the same telephone, leaving whatever CNAM information that is provided to parties called from that phone of questionable value, since the subscriber name associated with the telephone is fixed regardless of who is actually placing the call. Other examples, such as a residential service telephone shared by multiple family members, highlight essentially the same problem with existing CNAM delivery systems.
Even when the calling party is the subscriber associated with the phone line by the telecommunications service provider, the subscriber may desire the flexibility to change CNAM information depending upon whom he or she is calling. This desire is easily understood by contrasting the CNAM information appropriate for a business or formal call versus the information appropriate for a call placed to a friend or family member.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improvements to caller identification services that allow individual telephone users to adjust the calling name information provided to call recipients. Ideally, these improvements would include provisions for insuring that such custom or programmable calling name information capability is used responsibly and only in appropriate contexts.
The present invention enables the delivery of customizable calling party identification information within a telecommunications network. Calling party information delivered to the telecommunications network for calls placed from the subscriber line can be changed depending upon the number dialed, or can be set to a persistent desired value, which can later be changed again. In one embodiment, one or more lists (screen lists) of dialable numbers are identified in association with the subscriber line, with each of the lists being associated with a desired calling name. A call placed to any number appearing in one of the lists causes the calling party name information to be set to the corresponding desired value. Feature codes, as can be activated by dialing special numeric codes using customer premises equipment (CPE) associated with the subscriber line, may also be used to select and set the desired calling name for a single call, or for all calls until changed again.
When screen lists are used, the local exchange switch preferably has access to the screen lists associated with the subscriber line. Thus, the local exchange switch determines if a number dialed through the subscriber line is one for which calling party name customization is desired. If so, the local exchange switch may access locally or remotely stored name information to get the particular custom name desired for delivery in association with calls placed to the particular number dialed. The name information may be part of a larger subscriber database and can be included in the local exchange switch, or accessed remotely through the telecommunications network, using, for example, SS7 or AIN signaling protocols. Alternatively, the local exchange switch may have some other type of communications link with the database.
In one embodiment, the local exchange switch receives a defined numeric code from the CPE associated with the subscriber line, and this causes the local exchange switch to use a custom name value. The custom name value may be used just for that call, or may be used until changed or reset. The feature code may provide selection information such-that the local exchange switch can determine which one of a number of predefined names are desired for use with the subscriber line. In this scenario, the predefined custom names are preferably stored data within the local exchange switch, or are accessible to the local exchange switch via the telecommunications network. Alternatively, the CPE may provide custom name information in association with the feature code, such that the local exchange switch receives not only the activation command, but the calling name custom value from the CPE as well. If the CPE provides the custom name information, it is preferable that the CPE have the ability to receive one or more custom names as input by a user of the CPE.
The ability to program custom names through the CPE may be an intrinsic capability of the CPE, or may be enabled in the CPE based on interaction with the local exchange switch, such as when the CPE is ADSI-compliant, and an ADSI server is associated with the local exchange switch. The utility of custom name programmability is useful in the context of both feature code-based and screen list-based custom name editing. The present invention contemplates a variety of ways for allowing users associated with the subscriber line to define desired custom name values. These methods include programming via the CPE, using visual menus if the CPE has a data display, or otherwise through voice menu systems. Other methods are available and include allowing subscribers to set custom name information by using PCs or other Internet access appliances to gain access to a Web server having custom name editing capabilities. Manual data entry may also be used to simply update stored information relating to custom names based on information received from the subscriber.
The present invention also provides for screening custom name values to ensure that no subscribers attempt to configure their calling party name information inappropriately. Such screening is ideally done at the time that the desired custom name value is entered, which is typically in advance of any call that might trigger use of the custom name value. Screening may be done in the CPE, the local exchange switch, or in another processing system associated with the telecommunications network, or in any combination thereof. If necessary, screening may be done at the time of call processing during an active telecommunications call. However, this may have the disadvantage of adding additional call processing time.
The present invention also provides the ability to customize calling party number information in certain instances. While the potential to abuse this feature in a way that defeats the underlying value of calling party identification information is present, customizable number information may have significant value within a private exchange where it may be desirable to associate calls placed from different subscriber lines with a common number. There are other circumstances and instances where it may be desirable to allow users to adjust subscriber line calling number identification information. Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.